As The Raven Flies
by hollie1974
Summary: C.C. and Niles journey out to Wyoming to visit Raven. If you have not read Quoth The Raven yet you may want to do so before reading this so you know what lead up to this story.
1. Chapter 1

_**This is a continuation from Quoth the Raven. If you haven't read it yet, you may want to so you know what has lead up to this story. Thanks for reading and review are very much appreciated! Oh and I don't own nuttin!**_

__As The Raven Flies

"Oh come on Niles! Tell me where we are going!" C.C. whined as they whizzed down the highway in the Sheffields limo.

"You'll know once we get on the plane. Just be patient." Niles grinned devilishly.

C.C. sat back and tried to relax as she reflected on that mornings events. She had received a phone call from Niles telling her to pack her things. She and he were taking a trip. It took Maxwells urgings that the business would be fine and that everything had been taken care of before C.C. anxiously packed her bags and waited for Niles arrival.

They arrived at the airport, got their luggage arranged and prepared to board. C.C. still hadn't clue where they were going until a voice announce, "Final boarding call for Flight 382 to Cheynne, Wyoming." C.C. gasped then threw her arms around Niles.

"We are going to see Raven! Ahhhhh" C.C. screamed happily. Niles laughed and returned her hug.

"I take it you like your surprise then?"

"Best surprise EVER!" C.C. said.

Their flight was uneventful. Time was passed with cuddling and more sharing about C.C. past with Raven at the boarding school and after. When the plane landed C.C. could barely contain her excitement.

"I can't wait to see her! I can't wait to see her!" C.C. exclaimed jumping up and down like a school girl as they exited the plane.

"But it's only been a few months since she was out to visit you." Niles teased as his eyes sparkled at her excitement.

"Come on! Come on! Let's go find her!" C.C. said as she tugged at Niles hand impatiently.

"Ok, ok. Wait! Is that her? Oh no wait....I was wrong." he laughed as she pulled him along.

"There she is!" C.C. dropped Niles hand and made a beeline for her red headed best friend. Raven saw C.C. and took off in her directions. The girls flew into each others arms laughing and talking at the same time. Niles caught up to them just as them seperated.

"Niles!" shouted the flaming haired vixen before she tackled him with a big hug. "Looks like you have been taking _very _good care of C.C. I have never seen her look so radiant." she said before releasing him.

"Well, I do try Miss Raven, but she doesn't make it easy." he replied with a sarcastic twist of his mouth.

"Raven, Niles just Raven. None of that Miss stuff. Makes me feel old and stuffy." Right at that moment a barrel chested dark haired man approached them. He glanced briefly at Niles and C.C. but it was obvious that his eye were for Raven only.

"I have their luggage in the car, Raven. So we are ready to roll when you are."

Raven turned and flashed a large white smile at the man. C.C. noted a light blush spread across her friend's cheeks and slight increase in her breathing. "Well thank you so much Sam. I just don' t know what I would do without you."

"I am sure you would survive." the man replied with a grin and a wink.

"Well, maybe but I would rather not test that theory. C.C. and Niles I would like to introduce you to the foreman of my ranch and my right hand, Sam. Sam, this is C.C. and Niles.

Sam, Niles and C.C. shook hands and exchange pleasantries before heading out to the car. C.C. and Niles exclaimed over the beauty of the Wyoming countryside as they travel to Raven's ranch. As they pulled in the long driveway Raven directed their attention to a sign with a cast iron symbol on it. The symbol had a c that was inside another c. There was an r in the middle of the c's.

"What does that mean?" asked C.C.

Raven grinned largely her tawny eyes flashing "It's the name of my ranch. Double C R."

"Wow, that's....that's....wait a minute. Double C R?" C.C. asked.

"Yup, that's right C.C. My ranch is named after our friendship. Which must explain why it is so successful. Well, that and Sam here. There were quite a few times that he helped me out when I had no clue what I was doing. If not for him I would have had to go back home to mother admitting defeat which would have just about killed me."

"Now Raven, I think you would have done fine on your own." said Sam as he drove them up the drive. "You are damn smart and would have learned from your mistakes very quickly."

The car pulled to a stop and they got out. Niles and Sam grabbed the bags while C.C. and Raven walked ahead of them arm and arm trying to catch up in the short walk from the car to the house.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Sorry it has taken me so long to update. Finals are now over and I got a 3.6 GPA for the semester! Yay! So I gotta tell y'all I haven't been very happy with my writing as of late. I think I need to be a bit more descriptive. So I am gonna try that on this second chapter. Please let me know what'cha think! Thanks!**_

"Come on in! Since this will be your home for the next two weeks please make yourselves comfortable." said Raven as Niles, C.C., and Sam followed her into the kitchen. Niles let out a gasp as he got a look at the magnificent kitchen. The kitchen was all wood done with a rustic flair. Floor to ceiling windows lined the one side of the room which was topped off with a large skylight.

"This kitchen is incredible!" exclaimed Niles.

"Thank you, Niles. It's one of my favorite places in the house. You all must be tired from your trip. Let me show you to your room and you can get settled while I see to dinner."

Raven led them to their room which was as gorgeous as any honeymoon suite either Niles or C.C. had ever seen. There was a large four poster cherry wood bed with a matching dresser, vanity and trunk. The wall hangings matched the deep burgundy bedspread and the room was complete with a jacuzzi for two.

"I see the room meets your approval." laughed Raven at seeing the looks of awe on their faces.

"This room is just wonderful Raven! Thank you." said C.C. giving Raven a hug.

"Alright well, you all go ahead and get settled in and I will come get you when dinner is ready." With that Raven left C.C. and Niles to unpack and rest a bit from their trip.

Hours later, dinner had come and gone. C.C. and Raven were sitting together on the couch in the living room, giggling over old school photos while Niles was taking a shower.

"Look at Anne Reckenbocker. She looks like a hamster died on her head!" laughed Raven.

"A hamster? More like a guinea pig!" chuckled C.C.

"I wonder what ever happened to her. With that mouth of hers I wouldn't be surprised if she met an unfortunate end."

"I am sure there are more than a few from our old school who would say that same about you, Raven." C.C. teased with a smirk.

"Naw, they just expected me to become a hooker." Raven giggled. "Certainly not a cattle rancher, that's for sure."

"I doubt anyone saw that one coming. I know I sure didn't! I mean, over the years you have done a whole lot to spite your mother, but ranching is a whole new things for you." C.C. said reaching for her drink.

"Well, yes I am sure if I was asked say 10 years ago if I could see myself running a ranch my answer would have been no. Once I stopped laughing that is. But I gotta tell ya while it has been really, really, really hard I don't regret it. Not one bit. I have been very happy there past 5 years."

Suddenly C.C. grabbed Raven in a big hug. "I am so glad that you are happy!"

"Well thank you C.C." Raven said laughing. "What about you C.C.? Are you happy?"

"I have to tell you I have never been so happy before in my life. Niles makes me feel so cared for, so loved and cherished. I have never felt like that before. Even as a child I have always felt that there was something terribly wrong with me, like I was unlovable, that no one good would even give me the time of day much less love me. I know it sounds cliché but I sometimes feel like I am in one of those cheesy romance novels that we used to read in school. I never thought I would feel like this. He absolutely takes my breath away." Unshed tears sparkled in C.C.'s eyes.

Raven reached over for C.C.'s hand. "I'm glad that you have that with him. You deserve someone to treat you right and make you feel special and loved. I hope someday that I can find that someone special too."

"I know you will Raven. You are too sweet of a person not too."

Both girls were wiping their eyes as Niles walked in.

"What's wrong ladies?" Niles said alarmed.

"Nothing." C.C. said walking over to him. She placed a kiss on his cheek. "It's getting late and I think we should turn in."

"I think we all could do with a bit of rest. The ranch comes alive pretty early in the morning and Sam and I have to ride out early at sun up to oversee some fence repair. Y'all have a good sleep. Sleep in as long as you want and I will see you all when we get back." Raven hugged them both and they all went to bed.

----------------------------------------git along little doggey*---------------------------------------------------

The days that followed were filled with good food, horse backriding, exploring the beautiful Wyoming landscape and fun times for Niles and C.C. They both noticed a growing sexual tension between Raven and Sam but neither was sure if they should approach the couple in denial about it. On the 7th day after their arrival, Raven was just getting ready to head out to check the fences when Niles, clad in only his pajamas rushed down the hall to stop her.

"Raven! Something is wrong with C.C.!" he exclaimed just as Raven had opened the door to leave.

She slammed the door shut and rushed to his side. "Why? What's going on? Where is she?"

"She is in the bathroom. She won't let me in nor well she come out and it sounds like she is crying."

"Ok tell ya what? You go take a walk, maybe see if Sam needs any help and I will see what's up with C.C."

With a sigh Niles consented. He got dressed and went to find Sam. Raven tapped on the bathroom door.

"Niles I told you I am not coming out." C.C. said in a weak sad little voice.

"It's not Niles, C.C. and I can promise you that I can pick every single lock within this house. So you can make it easy on me and just let me in or I can go grab my tools and be in there in just a few minutes."

Raven heard the lock turn and then the bathroom door opened.

* the words in the divider were inspired by the way the author kateandharvey divides her stories. If you haven't read her work, you should! It's really really good!


	3. Chapter 3

_**Outta school for the summer so moving right along here! Yay!**_

"Ya know C.C., you are a damned moody cuss." Raven said as she join a sobbing C.C. in the bathroom. "What's got you so upset, sweetie?"

"I don't want to tell you. You'll laugh at me!" C.C. sobbed.

"Now C.C. I promise I won't laugh at you. I can't help you unless you tell me what is wrong."

"I'm....I'm....I'm old!" C.C. wailed.

"Your what? Um C.C. really. What makes you say that?"

"I'm late. At my age you know what that means!" C.C. groaned.

Raven frowned. "How late are you and what do you _think_ that means?"

"A month. I thought it was just stress but when I looked at the date today I realized that I was later than I thought. Raven, I'm starting menopause!"

At this Raven did indeed laugh.

"I knew you would laugh at me! Raven, I am entering the old years. Niles is gonna run like hell!"

"Um C.C." Raven said trying to stifle her laughter. "I am pretty sure you are to young to being going through menopause. Have you and Niles been using protection?"

"No. I don't think it ever crossed our minds to do so." C.C. said giving Raven a curios look.

"I think we may need to take a trip to the drugstore and get you a pregnancy test, sweetie."

C.C.'s head shot up at the words pregnancy test. Her mouth hung open as she stared at Raven.

"Pregnancy test? You think I might be pregnant?" C.C. looked totally stunned.

"I assure you it's not outside the realm of possibilities. I think it would be a good idea. Did it never cross your mind that you could get pregnant?"

"I have long since given up the idea of having any children, so no it never crossed my mind."

Raven took her hand. "C'mon. Lets hit the drug store and get you a test. Will grab two so we know for sure."

Raven led a dazed C.C. out of the house and to the truck.

"You sit here and I will be right back. I just want to let Sam and Niles know that we are leaving for a bit."

"Raven, please don't say anything to Niles about the pregnancy test, ok?"

"Ok. I'll just tell him that we are going for a drive. Be right back."

The drive to the drugstore was a quite one. Raven kept trying to get C.C. engaged in some kind of conversation, but C.C. lost her in her own thoughts would only grunt in reply. Raven ran in and got the pregnancy tests while C.C. waited in the truck. The girls were soon on their way back to the ranch.

"What if I am pregnant, Raven? What would I do with a baby?"

"Have you never thought about taking your relationship with Niles to the next level?" Raven said with a sigh.

"What do you mean?"

"Um, like getting married, starting a family. Things like that?"

"No, I really haven't." C.C. replied with her brow furrowed.

"Why not? You were just telling me how happy he makes you?" Raven sent a inquisitive look at C.C.

"Well things have just been going along so well so, why rock the boat, so to speak. But I think we are getting ahead of ourselves here. What if the tests are negative? Then what?"

"I still say that you are to young for menopause. So then you would need to go see the doctor to see what is going on."

C.C. sat back against the seat and let out a deep sigh. "Raven, I'm scared. If I am pregnant, it would change the whole makeup up of my relationship with Niles. There is no room in my life right now for a baby. It's something that I gave up on a long time ago and I don't feel that I want to make any changes to accommodate a baby right now. I don't know what I will do if I am."

"Ok, first of all this isn't something that you would be doing on your own. Keep in mind if you are pregnant, it won't be just your baby. I think Niles would be a very supportive partner. Second, you don't want to change your life to accommodate a baby? C.C., how long have you been unhappy in with your lifestyle? This could be your chance to have everything you ever dreamed of. Don't let fear ruin it for you. And thirdly, yes it would dramatically change your relationship with Niles but I think it would be for the better. You would no longer just be lovers. You would be mom and dad and possibly husband and wife as well. It would add new facets to your relationship. I think you should really think this out clearly before you get all freaked out."

"Your right." Said C.C. "After all, we don't even know whether I am pregnant or not. I guess I need to wait and see." Suddenly C.C. grasped her stomach in one hand and the dashboard in the other. "Raven, pull over. I think I am going to be sick."

"Oh boy....." said Raven pulling to the side of the road.

"How long has it been?" said C.C. pacing outside the bathroom door.

"Only a minute. The test takes 3 minutes. Just take a deep breath. Two minutes to go."

C.C. and Raven both stared at the bathroom door like the door would announce to them what they tests said.

"Ok, go ahead and check'em now." Raven said to C.C.

C.C. slowly opened the bathroom door.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Thanks for the reviews. Sorry it took me so long to update. I got a little 'tied up' (lololol) with my new story!**_

C.C. stepped into the bathroom avoiding looking at the tests. She stopped right in front of them but still wouldn't look.

"Raven, can you come in here and look at these for me please? I can't bring myself to look at them."

C.C. felt Raven peek over her shoulder at the tests.

"Well, my dear friend, looks like I'm going to be an aunt!" Raven had a hard time keeping the glee from her voice.

C.C. slowly sank down on the toilet taking this info in.

"I'm not really sure how I feel about this. I never thought this would happen."

"Well, what are you feeling right now?"

"I'm scared, confused, happy and anxious all at the same time. Oh I just don't know!" wailed C.C.

"You know, I think you should tell Niles, now. I don't think you should wait. I think he could help put your mind at ease. How about I go get him?" Raven said gently, laying her hand on her best friends shoulder.

"Alright." C.C. sighed out.

Raven left and a few minutes later Niles entered the bathroom.

"Isn't this where this all started this morning?" he said touching her head softly.

She said nothing, just motioned towards the tests on the counter. Niles did a double take at the positive tests.

"Oh my God, Raven's pregnant! I knew something was going on between her and Sam I just knew it! I could tell every time-"

"Niles, it's not Raven's test! It's mine!" C.C. snapped at him.

"How can it be yours? Why, if it was yours that would mean....why, that would mean that....that.......C.C. really? This isn't some kind of a prank is it?"

"I promise you this is no joke. Niles, I am going to have your baby."

The next thing she knew, she was being swept up in Niles arms and he let out a happy yell.

"That's fantastic C.C. Just wonderful! I love you so!"

"So you are happy about this?" C.C. asked doubtfully.

"Are you kidding me? Yes, I am very, very happy. There is no one on earth that I would want for the mother of my children besides you...........wait a minute. Are you not happy?"

"I'm scared, Niles. I am happy. But I was so afraid that you would be upset-"

"Upset? Heavens no C.C. You have just made me the happiest man on this planet! I want to tell everyone! We should call Fran and Maxwell! Right now!"

C.C. laughed at his enthusiasm, finding her anxiety rapidly abating. "Well, first let me have some time to get used to the idea before we rent a billboard or anything, ok?"

"Of courses, love of course. I am just so very happy. I am going to be a Daddy! I never thought that I would be and now you are making that dream come true." And with that he kissed her tenderly.

C.C., Niles, Raven and Sam had dinner together that evening. They all celebrated Niles and C.C.'s big news with some champagne (except C.C. who had some sparkling grape juice). They were all chatting and having a good time when Sam's cell phone rang.

"Hello? Yeah. Really? Now? Well ok then I'll be right out. Thanks. See ya in a minute." Sam snapped his phone shut.

"Well folks, it seems we've got a heifer in the field giving birth and she is having some trouble. I gotta ride out and see what I can do. Rob's already called the vet and Dr. Warner is on his way. Congrats you two. It was a very pleasant evening." He addressed the room but his dark eyes were for Raven only.

"Wait Sam, I'll ride out with you. I think the more hands we have the better. How did the heifer get out into the field? All the pregnant cows stay in the barn until well after birth." Raven said placing a hand on his beefy forearm.

"I don't know, Raven. We will have to look into that and see. I didn't want to tell you but since you are coming along I want to prepare you. It's Clementine."

Raven gasped. "Clementine? No! She's my baby! She's the first heifer I bought on my own. C.C., Niles congrats and I love you both. Don't wait up, this may be an all night thing." She kissed them both on the cheek and then she and Sam were gone with Sam's hand resting on the small of Raven's back.

C.C. looked down at the floor rather downtrodden.

"What's wrong, love? Niles asked her.

C.C. sniffed a little with a pout. "I just hope Clementine is all right."

"I am sure she will be ok." Niles said but, _oh boy hormones_ is what he thought.

They finished their drinks and headed for the bedroom.

"So I have been meaning to ask you." C.C. said as she was getting ready for bed.

"What's that?" Niles said coming up behind her, cupping her flat belly and kissing her on the neck.

"When you thought the test was Raven's, you mentioned something about Raven and Sam. What brought that about?"

"Well, I think that it is pretty obvious that there is an attraction there. What I don't understand is why they aren't acting on it or if they are why they are keeping it secret."

"I can promise you if something was going on Raven would have told me by now. We have no secrets. But I do agree that they seem to be very attracted to each other. Maybe it is obvious to us but perhaps its not to them. Maybe we should do a little matching making of our own. What do you think?"

"I don't know if we should really interfere." Niles said doubtfully.

"Had Raven not interfered with us then we most likely would not be together. We just needed a little push and maybe that is all that they need too."

"I suppose you have a good point. How do you think we should do it?"

"I'll talk to Raven and see if I can draw out how she feels about Sam. Maybe you could talk to Sam and see if you can get him to say how he feels. Even if you don't maybe you can just tell by is body language and how he talks about her. What do you think?

"I certainly think that it's a good start. Now I would like to spend some time showing the woman I love how much I care about her through my body language." With that he spun her around and kissed her passionately.

The next day, Niles headed out early to go 'help' Sam in the barn. C.C. stayed in the house to chat with Raven.

"We should go out to the barn in a bit so you can see Clementine's baby. She's a cutie. But man, her entrance in to this world was a rough one." Raven said handing C.C. a dish she just dried.

"Please spare the details on that. I am just glad they are both going to be ok. We will go out in a bit. There is something I want to talk to you about first." C.C. said putting the dish up in the cabinet.

"Well, this sounds serious. Let's sit and chat."

Both girls sat down at the kitchen table.

"So, what's up?" Raven asked.

"Well I know it's none of my business but I really want to ask you something."

"C.C., your my best friend. Whatever it is, please feel free to ask."

"What do you think about Sam?" C.C. leaned forward in anticipation of her answer.

"Sam is an excellent foreman. I would have lost my ass on this ranch if not for his assistance. And quite honestly a lot of my cow hands wouldn't listen to me at all without him. Before he came on this place was a mess, cow hands trying to take advantage of me. In more ways than one, etc. But he came on board shipped this place right up. He's great."

"No." C.C. said exasperated. "I mean, what do you think about him as a man?"

Raven turn a bright shade of red. "I have never been able to hide anything from you. I think he is the hottest hunk of man I have ever laid eyes on. That face and body with his easy going laid back personality just makes me crazy." Raven sighed deeply. "However, he doesn't feel that same way about me." she said with a pout.

"Why do you say that?"

"I think it has to do with our age difference. He is almost 12 years old than me. He always treats me as if I am his daughter. I am really at a loss. I haven't been able to look at a guy seriously in ages. I gotta tell you I am more than a little frustrated." Raven said dropping her head down into her hands.

"I have to disagree with you and so does Niles. As a matter of fact when he saw the pregnancy tests he thought they were yours and he thought that Sam got your pregnant. Sam looks at you like a man looks at woman that he is attracted to. I think you are misreading things with him."

"He is the first man that I am just terrified to approach. You know me C.C.. I have never had trouble letting a guy know that I was interested. But with Sam, it's different. I so desperately don't want him to look down on me or think that I am easy. I really worry about what he thinks about me."

"Have you ever thought that maybe it's more than just an attraction? Did you ever think you might be in love with him?"

Raven brought her head up and her eyes met C.C.'s "I have never been so certain that I love someone as I am with him. And I feel like I can do nothing about it. I can't tell him. What if he doesn't feel the same? Things would never be the same between us and he would eventually have to leave the ranch. Then I am sure this ranch would nose dive. There are too many people that count on this place for their bread and butter. I can't risk it C.C. It's so depressing though. I feel like I am very much ruined, like I will never find anyone because when I look at other men I compare them constantly to Sam and they just don't measure up. I don't know what I am going to do."

"Well, I really hope this isn't going to upset you but Niles is out 'helping' Sam right now to see if he can find out how Sam feels about you." C.C. admitted sheepishly.

"What?" Raven cried.

_**Sorry, I know weird place to end the chapter, but I have one more story I wanna get updated and I am rapidly running out of night!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Well, I finally got around to updating this one. I am hoping that I will keep up with the stories better than I did over the summer! Anyway, I hope you enjoy and please review and let me know what you think!**

* * *

Raven paled at C.C.'s words. She tremble and sank down in her chair. C.C. chewed her lip and thought to herself, I hope Niles and I made the right decision.

"Look, don't panic Raven. Niles will be subtle in his questioning of Sam. If it seems that Sam is not open to the line of questioning then he will back off and stop right away. No worries" C.C. said with a slight shrug.

Raven let out a sigh, shifting her worried eyes to the floor. "I really hope you are right C.C. If Sam were to get scared off this place I would be in a world of hurt. In more ways than one."

Biting back a groan C.C. shifted her weight from foot to foot and turned her gaze out the window where the barn loomed in the distance. "I'm sure it will be alright, Raven..."

Sam and Niles pulled bails of hay off the back of a truck and loaded it into the barn. Sam had been telling Niles the history of the ranch and the area's surrounding the ranch. Once he had filled Niles in they worked in silence as they loaded up the last few bales.

"Your a damned good worker, Niles. Hope you don't mind me saying so." Sam grinned over a Niles.

"I don't mind at all. And I think you are as well. It looks like you pretty much run this place. Raven is lucky to have you here." Niles replied as they headed off to the break-room.

"Aw, Raven would do fine on her own. She's a little spitfire! I don't think anyone would be fool enough to mess with her more than once. But I am more than happy to help her out. She works just as hard, if not harder than anyone on this ranch."

Niles accepted the cold Coke that was offered by Sam. Niles took note of the way Sam's eye lit up when he spoke about Raven, the way his eyes took on a far away dreaming look when he mention what "a little spitfire" she was. Niles was sure now that there was something brewing here. And he felt certain that he and C.C. are just the ones to stir something up.

"You care for her a great deal, don't you Sam?"

Sam's head jerked up, his eyes wide as the took in Niles.

"Well, yes. I have worked for her for a while and I have to admit that I am pretty fond of her. And I am pretty protective of her as well."

"Yes, well she is a very beautiful, nice woman." said Niles not looking at Sam.

"Young woman, Niles. You forgot young." Sam's voice had a bit of an edge to it. He let out a sigh. "I think I may be following your line of thinking Niles and let me assure you, I truly believe Raven doesn't view me as a man."

Niles looked at him startled. "Well, what does she view you as then?"

Sam chuckled. "No, she knows I am a man. I just mean there are 12 years between us. I am pretty sure she looks up to me as a father figure. So I can't look at her in any other way than a daughter." With that he let out a long sigh.

"How can you be so sure, Sam?"

"How could she look at me any other way. I mean, c'mon Niles. You've seen her. She is so gorgeous, sophisticated, smart and sexy. There is no way she would be interested in an ole ranch hand like myself."

"Well C.C. and I see a different picture here. You know, C.C. has known Raven for a very long time. She feels strongly that Raven's feelings for you are far from that of a daughter to a father."

Sam's eyes looked hopefully for a moment before they darkened with doubt. "Naw, I think you all might be wrong. Besides we can't risk it. If she doesn't feel the same for me then our relationship would change forever. It would be strained and awkward. We make a good team the way things are. I think for the good of the ranch I can't risk it."

"But what if you did learn that she was interested in you. Then how would you feel?"

Sam's eyes softened as he said "Then, Niles I would be the happiest person in the world."

That night C.C. and Niles were getting ready for bed and discussing Raven and Sam.

"Well, love I think we are going to have our hands full with these two." Niles said sliding up behind C.C. running his hands down her arms.

"Yeah, I think you are right. And honestly I am not sure how we are going to handle this. I certainly would feel bad about leaving here without either one of them knowing how the other feels. They are wasting so much time with their unfounded fears."

"Yes, because we wasted no time at all on unfounded fears." Niles whispered as he placed soft kisses on C.C.'s neck.

She cupped the side of his face in her hand and shuddered. "Yes, we did. Therefore", she said turning towards him. "We have a lot of lost time to make up for." And with that she drew his mouth to hers.

Raven quietly entered the barn. She kept telling herself that she was only out there to check on Clementine, that she was not out there looking for Sam. But deep down she was hoping that she would run into him. She would pay better attention to the way he looked at her, the way he acted around her. She would get her answer once and for all.

Sam, who had stayed in the break room to think some things out after Niles left heard the barn door open. Curious as to who would be in the barn at this hour, he got up and stepped out of the break room.

Raven pulled up quick, her red head almost bouncing off Sam's beefy chest as he suddenly appeared in front of her. For a moment they could only stare at each other in surprise.

"Hi." Raven finally said softly., her eyes slowly drifting up to meet his.

"Hi." said Sam just a softly returning her gaze.

They both stood there in the aisle of the barn, just looking at each other trying to read what was in the others thoughts. Sam's eyes drifted down to Raven's pouty lips. He licked his lips as he stared at her full mouth. His breathing quickened as did his heart rate. He knew he had to do something soon or it would be very obvious what the close proximity of her body was doing to him.

Raven was trying to remind herself to breath. The closeness of Sam's body was making her weak in the knees. She would be terribly embarrassed if she feel down right there. She couldn't fight back the small moan that escaped her when he licked his lips. His eyes jerked up to hers at the sound of her moan. Slowly his hand came up to gently grip her chin. As he lowered his head she placed her hands on his chest and rose up on her toes. Their lips met softly, hesitantly at first. Then the years of wondering, waiting came flooding on to both of them at once. Raven tangled her fingers in Sam's thick hair as he crushed her to his chest, their mouths feasting off each other as if they would never get enough. Finally knees were to weakened to hold them and they dropped to the ground below.

The animals in the barn look on with disinterest as the sounds of passion and ecstasy filled the air over and over again. However, if Clementine could talk she would have said she knew it all along and it was just a matter of time. These humans are so silly!

The sun was just beginning to rise when Sam and Raven where finally able to detangle from each other long enough to make their way to the house. They had to stop several times as they crossed the grounds to exchange passionate kisses. Raven and Sam as quite as possible entered the house. They begin to cross the kitchen and stopped dead in their tracks.

"So how'd that work out for you?" ask C.C. sitting at the table with a steaming cup of tea in her hands.

"I would say that it looks like it worked out quite well." chuckled Niles.

Sam and Raven both reddened and shared a smile as they join the other couple at the table.

**Hope you have enjoyed the story thus far...more to come soon!**


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